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Joshua 10 · Berean Standard Bible

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¹Now Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and devoted it to destruction —doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king—and that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living near them. ²So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty. ³Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, ⁴“Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” ⁵So the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces and advanced with all their armies. They camped before Gibeon and made war against it. ⁶Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.” ⁷So Joshua and his whole army, including all the mighty men of valor, came from Gilgal. ⁸The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have delivered them into your hand. Not one of them shall stand against you.” ⁹After marching all night from Gilgal, Joshua caught them by surprise. ¹⁰And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites. ¹²On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” ¹³So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? “So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” ¹⁴There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD fought for Israel. ¹⁵Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal. ¹⁶Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷And Joshua was informed: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” ¹⁸So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men there to guard them. ¹⁹But you, do not stop there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Do not let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” ²⁰So Joshua and the Israelites continued to inflict a terrible slaughter until they had finished them off, and the remaining survivors retreated to the fortified cities. ²¹The whole army returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one dared to utter a word against the Israelites. ²²Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” ²³So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. ²⁴When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.” ²⁶After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening. ²⁷At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day. ²⁸On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and put it to the sword, along with its king. He devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. So he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. ²⁹Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. ³⁰And the LORD also delivered that city and its king into the hand of Israel, and Joshua put all the people to the sword, leaving no survivors. And he did to the king of Libnah as he had done to the king of Jericho. ³¹And Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish. They laid siege to it and fought against it. ³²And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He put all the people to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. ³³At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors. ³⁴So Joshua moved on from Lachish to Eglon, and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and fought against it. ³⁵That day they captured Eglon and put it to the sword, and Joshua devoted to destruction everyone in the city, just as he had done to Lachish. ³⁶Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. ³⁷They captured it and put to the sword its king, all its villages, and all the people. Joshua left no survivors, just as he had done at Eglon; he devoted to destruction Hebron and everyone in it. ³⁸Finally Joshua and all Israel with him turned toward Debir and fought against it. ³⁹And they captured Debir, its king, and all its villages. They put them to the sword and devoted to destruction everyone in the city, leaving no survivors. Joshua did to Debir and its king as he had done to Hebron and as he had done to Libnah and its king. ⁴⁰So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the foothills, and the slopes, together with all their kings—leaving no survivors. He devoted to destruction everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹Joshua conquered the area from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and the whole region of Goshen as far as Gibeon. ⁴²And because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel, Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign. ⁴³Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

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Joshua

Joshua 10

The Day the Sun Stood Still: Divine Deliverance and the Conquest of the Amorite Kings

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Objective

To reveal God's sovereign intervention in Israel's conquest of Canaan through miraculous deliverance, demonstrating His faithfulness to His covenant and His power over nature and nations.

Overview

Joshua 10 recounts a pivotal military campaign where five Amorite kings unite against Gibeon for allying with Israel. Joshua responds swiftly, trusting God's promise of victory. God intervenes with a great hailstorm and a miraculous extension of daylight, enabling Israel to rout their enemies completely. The chapter concludes with the systematic conquest of key cities and kings, underscoring God's role as the divine warrior fighting for Israel.

Detailed Analysis

Event Description

Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, alarmed by Israel's recent victories and Gibeon's treaty with Israel, calls upon four other Amorite kings to unite against Gibeon. They gather their armies and lay siege to this city, threatening its destruction.

Central Themes

Fear of Israel's growing power

political alliances formed in opposition to God's people

the tension between covenant faithfulness and pagan resistance.

Cultural & Historical Context

City-states in Canaan often formed coalitions for defense or conquest. Gibeon's treaty with Israel was seen as betrayal by neighboring kings, prompting a military response. This reflects the complex political landscape Israel faced entering the Promised Land.

Key Verse

Joshua 10:5

Vivid Artistic Descriptions

The Alliance of Amorite Kings and the Siege of Gibeon

A darkened valley where five kings, clad in battle armor, gather beneath stormy skies, their faces marked by fear and resolve, encircling the fortified city of Gibeon glowing faintly with hope.

Joshua's Divine Assurance and Night March

A silent army moving under a starlit sky, led by Joshua whose face is illuminated with divine confidence; the moonlight casting long shadows as they ascend the rugged path toward battle.

The LORD's Miraculous Intervention: Hailstones and the Stopping of the Sun

Heaven opens above the battlefield; great hailstones descend like fiery arrows, while the sun hangs motionless in a blazing sky, casting an eternal golden light over the victorious Israelite warriors.

The Capture and Execution of the Five Kings

A sealed cave mouth guarded by soldiers; the defeated kings emerge, humbled and bound, as Joshua places his feet upon their necks, the setting sun casting long shadows over the somber scene.

Systematic Conquest of Canaanite Cities

A series of burning cities under a crimson sky; Israelite banners raised high, warriors advancing with solemn determination, the land being cleansed by fire and sword in obedience to the LORD’s command.

Song

Joshua 10 Song

Verse 1

Kings unite with trembling hands, Against Your chosen land, Yet You command, and fear dissolves, The mighty fall beneath Your hand.

Verse 2

Hailstones fall like thunder’s voice, Crushing foes without a choice, Your power breaks the strongest wall, Your word prevails, they rise then fall.

Chorus

Sun stand still, moon hold your place, Till victory shines upon Your face, The heavens bow, the earth obeys, The LORD fights for Israel’s days.

Bridge

In caves they hide, but cannot flee, Your justice claims their destiny, With feet on necks, their pride undone, Your kingdom’s work is fully won.

Final Chorus

Sun stand still, moon hold your place, Till victory shines upon Your face, The heavens bow, the earth obeys, The LORD fights for Israel’s days.

Practical Application

Personal Life

Trust God’s promises even when facing overwhelming opposition.

Seek courage from the LORD, not from human strength or numbers.

Pray boldly, knowing God can intervene miraculously in your battles.

Community & Society

Stand united with fellow believers against spiritual and moral opposition.

Encourage one another with the assurance that God fights for His people.

Pursue justice and righteousness as a community, trusting God’s guidance.

Global Perspective

Recognize God’s sovereignty over all nations and history.

Pray for global leaders and communities to acknowledge God’s authority.

Promote peace rooted in God’s justice and the advance of His kingdom.

Conclusion

Joshua 10 stands as a testament to the LORD’s sovereign power and faithfulness. Through divine intervention, Israel’s enemies are defeated, the land is claimed, and God’s covenant promises advance. The miraculous stilling of the sun reveals that no natural order can hinder God’s purposes. Believers are called to trust in His power, courageously obey His commands, and witness His victorious hand at work in history.